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Worthing College 15 Coleg Sir Gar 18

Four drivers drove twenty players in two minis buses on a ten hour, four hundred and eighty mile round trip for one purpose, 1 victory.
What so nearly became the desired culmination of eight months work was stolen from the collective grasp of a heroic group of students by an equally motivated but no more talented Coleg Sir Gar side.
Based in Llanelli, south west Wales, Sirgar are one of the UK’s strongest collegiate programmes, linked with the Scarlets and three semi professional sides within the WRFU structure. Unbeaten in all Welsh competition this season and heading the Welsh Colleges league with near maximum points Worthing were indeed entering a cauldron from which only Harry Potter himself could save them from a titanic beating, well not so much.

Worthing had come a long distance to get into the the BCS League Playoff final and were not about to lay down and get demolished.
So at 2pm with the official's lengthy and ultimately irrelevant briefing in mind Worthing set about their goal playing down a slight slope with a brisk breeze at their backs. The match started with the visitors showing a little too much respect to the Sir Gar side and this lead to plenty of go forward ball. Worthing made sporadic forays into opposition territory but came up short when in positions to score. Although this was the case the slow dawn of realisation that washed over the Sussex side, ‘they are not all that’ and then it was really game on.

Worthing scored a penalty through Keith which spurred Worthing forwards, unfortunately through a disproportionate number of penalties conceded Sirgar were able to gain field position and get over for the 7 pointer. The visitors were disheartened but did finish the half with a flourish and camped in the opposition half but could not convert in to points.

Up hill into the wind and points down, time for men to stand, leaders to lead and hearts to be worn on sleeves. So they were to a man. Worthing endured some early pressure but with ball in hand playing some scintillating rugby which rocked the home side progress was made. Moving up the field through 6 phases Scrum Half Parker broke from the base of the ruck and went under the posts. Keith converted and it was 10-7 to Worthing.

Seeing that the smaller visitors were able to mix it up the home side tried to exert their authority but Worthing were now looking good for their lead. With the wind, a slope and some breaks of the ball Sir Gar pressured. Got a penalty and with chat back the referee was only too pleased to put Parker in the bin and march the mark 10m closer to the posts. 3 points and back level. Worthing heroically held out with 14 men and when Hubbard made the numbers even the home side powered over for the score 15-10 Sir Gar.

The Worthing players were struggling to maintain their frustration levels as the official became more a part of proceedings, seemingly giving every 50-50 decision the way of the home side. To break this a moment of magic would be needed and so it was delivered. Ryan Ball collected a pass from Bone just inside his own half, he then progressed up the field beating with a mixture of pace, power and agility four defenders and scoring, 15-15. Keith was unable to make the extras.

All to play for with 10mins left. Worthing continued to not quite acquire the rub of the green but soldiered on admirably none the less. It now looked as if the visitors would remove interpretation from making any further imposition, however Roberts excellent work on the floor again was not legal enough for the man that mattered. 3 points for the penalty and effectively game over. Although Worthing went hard and pressed again putting phases together and building pressure up to Sir Gar 22m, where just when it looked like the killer attack could be launched a turn over lost the chance. Game over, another gut wrenching defeat in a national semi final to add to the two from last season.

Disappointed with an empty feeling on the day but in times to come it will be viewed as the most heroic of defeats and but for a bounce of the ball or a decision here or there we could be discussing a first national final for Worthing College Rugby.



Bone, Ball, Fastnedge (Pumfrey 50), Green, Keith, Parker (Hubbard 48), Luke, Laszlo, Roberts, White, Sercombe, Spring, Peake, Wigzell, subs: Anderson, Cook, Iurcovich, Hubbard, Pumfrey



Trys- Parker, Ball

Conversion- Keith

Penalty- Keith

Back to work Monday,

Ben